Fruit picker



R. C. RICKETTS FRUIT PICKER Sept. 21, 1926. 1,600,566

Filed Jan. 27, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Sept. 21 1926.

1,600,566 R. C. RICKETTS FRUIT PICKER Filed Jan. 27 1 925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY R. c. RICKETTS Sept. 21 1926.

FRUIT PIGKER Filed Jan. 2'7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. R 0/0/10 C 570 kgfifs 77/ 15 35M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

UNITED TATES! P.

noLANnc. RICKETTS, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

. FRUIT PICKER.

Application filed January My invention relates to an improved fruit plcker for fruit of the smaller varlety, such-as cherries or even berries, and 1s especially adapted for thepicking and receivwill also insure a perfect condition of the fruit picked, and leave the fruit buds and limbs unscathed. In other words, cherries or other easily bruisable fruit may be picked withoutthe slightest'injurythereto, either in the act of picking the same or in the act of transferring the fruitto the packing box or other container;

With my improved device, cherries may be picked and collected in one and the same operation, so to speak, so that the picker is practically concerned onlyin the picking operation, as compared to the old methods which require the picker to interrupt the picking operation at intervals, to deposit the picked fruit in the collecting receptacle. In my case, thepicker is relieved of thisinconvenience and waste of time, by the incorporation of a collecting receptacle in combination with the picker perse.

I have also kept in mind the. desirability of making the device as simple as possible,

I consistent with durability, so that the equipment may be offered to the trade at a reasonable price.

The invention possesses other advantageous features; some of which, with the foregoing, will be set ,forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full that formof the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying'and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings .have shown one form of my invention, but it is to be understood that .I do

not limitmyself to suchform, since the invention, as expressed in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality offorms. 1

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in-perspective of the device showing the application of the same; Fig. 2 is :a view in' side elevation of the device; Fig. 3 is a front view, on an enlarged scale, of the picking end of the device; Fig. 4 is a similar view from the side; Fig. 5 is a similar'view in plan; Fig.

27,1925. Serial No. 5,000.

6 is a detail plan, on a, further enlarged scale, of the knife structure with some of the parts broken away for clarity; Fig. 7 is a detail view of the knife "guide; Fig. 8 1s a detail view in cross-section of the knife assembly on the centerline of the'knife pivot; Fig. 9 is a cross-section through the'collecting receptacle sleeve Fig. 10 is aside viewofa section of the collecting receptacle, and Fig. 1 1 1s an end view thereof; and Fig. 12 1s aview, and partly insection, of the discharge and of the collecting receptacle, the light lines showing the bottom swung open.

Referring now to the drawings in detail: The letter Arepresents the collecting receptacle of the device and Iprefer to make the same from canvas or some other material suitable for the purpose, so as to make up a relatively long flexible barrel. The receptacle should be of a length to reach from an extended elevated position of the right hand to the lowered position of the left hand.

The device may be carried upon the body ofthe picker by the shoulder strap B, having'rings C for the snaps D, the latter being fixed to encircling straps or bands E. The

lower portion of the receptacle is enlarged and reinforced by stiffening straps F run-' ning both longitudinally of the receptacle and encircling the same. One of the longitudinal straps extend the length ofthe receptacle, and at least one or two of the encircling bands are placed around the smaller diameter or sleeve of the receptacle as at G. One of the last-named bands providesv a fastening means for the arm strap H. I

The length and structural features of the receptacle are such as to provide a long flexible, or at least semi-flexible tube-like collecting receptacle where the fruit, as it is cut, is dropped into the receiving end and collected at the opposite end without handling or otherwise subjecting the fruit to injury. The length and diameter of the 'receptacle isjsuch as to hold a considerable quantity of fruit; however, rather than have "the fruit pile up above the large diameter of the receptacle it would be best to dis charge'the contents. The discharge is preferably effected by releasing the catch I and thus permitting the hinged bottom-closure J to drop, the catch I being located within easy reach of the left hand of the picker. The receiving end of the rece tacle is equipped with a stiff unyielding an basketleaving them protruding beyondthe plane materials so as to leave anopen top side. for .stood by those, skilled intheart to which receiving the fruit in the basketebefore the; the inventionappertains, and while I have stems are cut and a hand-hold or grip over described the principle of operation, tothe end. The hand-hold is made so that the gether with the device; which I now consider 5 fingers may grip the'end-fir mly in the-palm to be the best-embodiment thereof, I desire of the hand, with the thumb free to, press. to have it understood that the device shown against the hinged or pivotally mounted is merely illustrative and that such changes knife-blade mounting L. ,To,realize,a firm ,may be made when desired, as fall within grip on the device, and prevent its slipping the scope of'the appended claims. 10, out ofthehand of the operator (a scabbard- Having thus described n1y --inventio11, I like piece M is secured inplace to overlay -what I claim as new-and desire tosecure theiingers, Attention isalso called to the by, LettersPatentof the United States .is i depressed end in; the hand-hold, ig. 3L, 1 the following owhichwill protectthe,fingersmore than by =1, In a fruitv picker, a fmit-stemgcutting device comprising. a stiff and unyielding .ofthe knifesguide.mounting. v closure adapted to receive and to enclose ;.,The;.receivingor. picking end is handled the-fruit- .thereinbefore thBqStGHlS are cut as best shown iii-Fig. ,1,.and the left hand is; and to be; held; and- ,operated by one hand left practicallyfreeexcept; that it may be: of the -operatorc'for cutting the stems, the il us'eful to support the discharge end, sp -c, device including amounting-member pivoteially,when thelload getsheavy. ally. secured to the closure and-Shaving a .Theknife and its .co-ope rating structure knife blade pivotallysecuredto the mountcomprises a -blade .5 pivotedias at Gbetween .i cutting melnber.fixed t th cl s re he spacedandapa lol parts 7- and 8 Of .and adapted to co-operate with the knife the, .mounting, .Thi m unt g L i bladeifor cutting the -stems;spring means .,pi.voted oir pintlo n e a c v llOl" nOflnallydlOlCllIlg the: knife blade away spring 10 for returning. the .mounting and kni-fe to. the,.open position whenthe thumb adapted to abut against, eaclrother, When H np Q l is rele sed: In order to get. a slic: the knife blade is moved towardsthe cutting 9 111,; r .draw cuttingaction from. theknife, 5 member, and tomovethe knife blade onits the. cutting edge is-ground; on a slant and pivot so as to produceashearing action of a i PF g 11 Si X C 0 'P S g n the the blade simultaneously withthe moved o one e g g i Fu thermo e, eiinentl of the mounting member towards .the

. notched end 12 is received in the. slot of a ttin b @gguide l3 anduwhen it.abuts-against the end 2. llna fruit picker, a .fruitstem" cutting device .comprising a stiif and unyielding ofthe slot, further pressure bythe thumb, 11 move the blade abou ts -p O flga n n closure adapted to .receiveathe. fruit'therein before. the .stems areflcut. and to besheld and the spring 11, so. that the blade hasashear;

j ing action across the fruitstems. The blade operated by oneahand of j the. operator for 40 also engages between, he jaws 14, One o'f cutting the wstems, the -.device including a nvlnch 1S ground to co-opcla c .Wlththo bl de amounting member pivotallvsecu-red to the n. e c i g. ao io Q j s Tact ;closure.andhavinga knife blade pivotally guides,. and thesame are riveted as at 15 to secured'tothe mounting; guides fixed to the the upwardly projected. part of the basket closure for guiding the knifexbladej one K (see Fi g. 3)..'. The-other f icl j wsll of. the guides being in the form fof a cutis slotted as at 16 t l a t; theknifo sp ce ting memberadapted to co-operatelwith the -w 3 h Z1 7 F W n-not in use knife bladefori cutting thefstemsyspring 111 CdtCl} 1 ise gago i a ch 18 to ld means fornormallyholdingtheknife blade t o l i m untlne' iC os fi away from said cutting member and means flhe-us'e of the dcvit sbest-lcXpliesscdin for moving theknife blade on its'pivot so as 'l g lh. a -511 1313 grips-the to produce :a shearing action of the blade basket Ix 111 a t a e spzandi the-thmnh siimiltaneously with the-movement ofthe mounting. member. towards the cutting menufrom said cutting member; and means ,works thelrnifeoverthe stems of the fruit, already in the. basket, By releasing-,-.the. ber. .thu-mb prressuretlae,.knife'springs open, so 3. In a fruit pickeiya fruit-stem cutting that it is a simple. matten to ,fdirecti-them device. comprising a -stiff .and unyield-ing V efilGHCO. SQ- h hs. frui isienclosed. thereby closure adapted to receive the fruittherin andthuspresents the fruitstems inputting before the stems are cut an'd to be held and posit on and avhenrthe. stemsv are -cut,.-.the ;,operated byonediandofthe operator for fru t. dropsfro athe basket and 1throughithe abutting the stems,, the..-.device including a sleeve, into-g the ,recepta'cle portion. mounting-member pivotally secured to the --.yliron: .the foregoing descriptionmaken in,closureiandhavinga knife; blade pivotally cennection with the. accompanyingdrawe secured to the mounting a cutting; member in s, tl e adyantages of the construction,and yfiXed to the closurerand adapted. to co-oper 1;. methodof-operation,will. be readily under-gate withuthe: knife i blade for cutting the stems; Spring means for normally holding the knife blade away from said cutting member; other spring means for normally holding the edge of the knife blade at an angle to the edge of the cutting member; and an abutment on the closure adapted to contact with the knife blade when the blade is moved towards the cutting member and to move the knife blade on its pivot so as to produce a shearing act-ion of the blade si- 1 multaneously with the movement of the mounting member towards thecutting mem-.

her.

1 y In testimony whereof I aflix my sigma- .ture.

I ROLAND o. RICKETTS. 

